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GMK

BrewInn Barossa:~ Home to GMKenterprises ~
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hi everyone who lives in Sydney and Woolongong (great place- I was born there) and in between.

12 of the canberra brewerrs - including myself - are doing a pilgrimage to some of sydneys micro breweries.

Below is our itinery.

Friday 25th
Meet at WnP by 1630 and Leave Canberra by 1700
Dinner (and accomodation) at George IV Picton 2000
Saturday 26th
Paddy's 1030-1200
Lunch
Malt Shovel 1300-1530
Check in at Hotel in City 1600
Harts Pub/Saint Arnou? Pre dinner drinks 1700
BBC dinner 1900
Sunday 27th
Five Islands in Wollongong - leave Sydney 1000

I hope to see some AUSSIEHOMEBREWER forum guys & especially Gals on the trip. TIC....

e-mail me if you need more details...

I am happy to bring some kegging stuff along for anyone who wants something....
 
I might try and catch you at the 5 Islands. I've only been there once before. Venue is OK, but the brews disappointed.
 
See ya at Picton on the friday night.
Might try and hook up for the five islands
 
Will look forward to seeing you both there.
 
I'm going to try and make the Sydney leg of your excursion.
I'm trying desperately to get out of some other commitments :huh:

Beers,
Doc
 
Ken,
Pop me a PM with your mobile number so I can find you on the Sunday.

Cheers,
Rob.
 
The Tour is OVER.

Well guys, all 12 of us had a great time.
We learnt an awefull lot of stuff - tasted some great beers.
Realised how much of an amateur you are - when the Malt shovel pitches 200 ltrs of yeast into their 1400 or 2000 ltr batches...

Some things we learnt are:
You can repitch yeast upto a max of 16 times - most commercial breweries repitch upto 8.
Basic commercial breewing set up - 500,000 New or 250,00 second hand - waiting to win LOTTO.
German brewery system mix the grains and water together in the kettle and pump that mix to the mash tun for 90 min mashing.
Canadian brewery system, this doesnt happen - normal mash tun process.
All brewries use a whirlpool to collect the hot break in the centre - then trub thrown out.
Malt Shovel use a really active boil - not a small rolling boil - his aim is to break the hop compounds apart.
Spent malt grains make for excellent compost as long as it is dug into the soil straight away - or excellent stock feed.
It was good to hear that are microbrewries were helping the farmers out during the drought giving them spent grains for stock feed.
All the brewers were very friendly and answered all our questions - even when some were stupid.
I over gas my kegged beer by heaps - should try 120 - 150 kpa instead of 200kpa.
The other stuff is CLASSIFIED - what happens on tour - stays on tour.
Doc has an idea of the recipee mix for Strong Ale - he took notes and it is upto him to share - me not being able to remember has got nothing to do with it!

Best BEERs tasted on the trip:
American Pale Ale at Paddys - highest hopped commercial beer on tour - five islands IPA was close second - both not upto the BroLogge log arithmic scale of hopping though - because it was highly hopped is probably why i rated it first.
5 Islands Bulli Black - Very roasty, full bodied and mellow. - excellent.
Sat night was tea at the Belgium Beer Cafe in camaray.
Food excellent - i had Rabbit - washed down with a Belgium Bush Amber - 12% barley wine style beer - but much lighter in colour and flavour - not heavy but a slight caramel syrup at the end - due to the high alcohol content.
Followed that up with a Gulden Draak - white dragon - if you get the chance to try this - do so - exqusit, my best beer on the night.
GergeIV - 777 high in alocohol...nice, different - not sure what style it fits into though.

It was nice to catch up with Linz and Doc on the tour.
Doc can you e-mail me the notes for Strong Ale.

Thanks - you Sydney guys should get together and organise a tour - well worth it.
 
Doc, If you ever go so far as to try a copy of that strong ale, pleeeease let us know the recipe. I am down to the last four stubbies from my carton.
 
Talking of strong ales, anyone cracked open a bottle of Coopers vintage (2002) recently?

I had a couple over the weekend, and I must say I was a little dissapointed in some aspects. Its lost hop aroma, which i suppose is expected. I think I prefered it fresh though. The alcohol is more prominent as theres less complex flavours to disguise it.
 
I thought you'd like the Bulli Black, Ken. Did you try the Longboard (Belgian Wit)? I went to 5 Islands just after it opened and the Wit was too sweet and syrupy. It was like beer flavoured Fanta. Gross!

I was too ill to make it out on Sunday. Still home sick today :( Woe is me. I hope to catch up with you guys next time... or at least sometime.
 
I was duty driver.

But i only sampled the rust and the bulli black...

I am not much of a wit beer man - dont like the bannans and the off sorted tastes associated with them.

We will have to catch up next time - or Ballarat - or in canberra on the way to Ballarat.
 

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